Baseball Pitcher & Player of the Week – No. 8

Conyers and Kauten named final baseball weekly award winners

April 30, 2013

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By Alan Grosbach, Manager of Communications and Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Aaron Conyers of York (Neb.) has been named the NAIA National Baseball Pitcher of the Week and Brett Kauten of Lubbock Christian (Texas) has been tabbed National Player of the Week, the national office announced Tuesday. Conyers and Kauten, who are the final weekly award winners for the 2013 season, were selected based on their performances from April 22 – 28 and were chosen out of a pool of conference/independent/unaffiliated group winners.

Conyers, a native of Cameron Park, Calif., led the Panthers to a 10-0 victory in game two of a doubleheader against Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Central Baptist (Ark.) April 26. The junior lefthander tossed a complete game no-hitter that included 12 strikeouts. Conyers allowed one runner in the game on an error in the second inning, however a double play three pitches later and a strikeout kept the no hitter intact.

Conyers owns six complete games this season en route to a 7-2 record and 2.73 earned run average. He leads the squad with 66 innings pitched and 67 strikeouts.

Kauten, a junior outfielder, was a catalyst for the Lubbock Christian offense in its final regular season series against Wayland Baptist (Texas) April 25 – 27. The Shelby Township, Mich., native hit .571 (8-for-14) with 11 RBI, 10 runs scored, four home runs, three walks, three steals and a triple.

In game three of the four game series, Kauten was 4-for-5 with three home runs and a triple en route to a season-high nine RBI, which is one RBI shy of tying the Lubbock Christian single-game record. His home run performance included his first grand slam of the season in the top of the third. Kauten had a hit and at least two runs scored in each of the four games.

Kauten leads the NAIA with 17 home runs this season, while also ranking in the top 10 in slugging percentage (.753), total bases (122), RBI (54) and runs scored (56). His .340 batting average ranks fifth on the team (minimum 100 at-bats). Kauten is the second Lubbock Christian student-athlete to claim Player of the Week honors this season.

For a complete listing of all the national statistical leaders, click here.